Sport

Junior rugby round-up

NEWPORT HSOB U-14s travelled to TALYWAIN for their opening game and it would turn out to be a hard fixture for the visitors.

It was a fairly even contest for the first 20 mins but the home side would show there dominance running out 52-0 winners.

PONTYPOOL United RFC are running rugby coaching sessions for boys aged 12 and 13 for their new Under-14s squad.

The sessions will be run by the club’s Welsh Rugby Union trained level one and two coaches. Call 07795 148176.

Cwmbran U-12s travelled to Talywain this weekend for a game that saw the team improve on the previous week’s form. The game kicked off with a good start by the Cwmbran squad dominating play even
with the difficult pitch conditions.

An unconverted try came in the first half from lock Khrisnan Hariharan, followed by one from captain Lloyd Saunders who convert the second score and take the team to a half-time lead of 13-0.

Talywain didn't let the Crows steal the game and made them work hard throughout, battling for the ball. In the second half Talywain began by dominating play, but the Cwmbran team soon re-grouped
and tries came courtesy of Zak Joliffee (converted by Lloyd Saunders), second row Jack Lloyd and Khrisnan Hariharan.

The Crows kept the pressure on and the game ended 29-0.

Inside centre Elliot Jones was excellent, communicating well and putting in good runs and the forwards gelled well, in particular Jack Lloyd and Henry Waite.

The home side were missing several players and the coaches had to put together a makeshift scratch side with some players playing out of position.

Caerleon started the game lively enough and applied early pressure on the Pencoed try line.

But after several attacks they couldn’t quite make the breakthrough.

The visitors soaked up the early pressure and then turned defence into attack as their backs swiftly moved the ball wide and score a fantastic try deep from within their own half.

Pencoed then seemed to be running in tries at will. By half-time the score was 32-0. The second half started much the same and the referee blew early to save even more punishment being inflicted by
the opposition. Talywain U-13s took part in the Aberdare Tournament and faced Bridgend Athletic in their first game who opened the scoring. Talywain hit back with a Euan Lewis try but Athletic led
10-5 at the break. Joel Whitcombe brought the Tigers level but they lost with the very last play as Athletic crossed the try line to win 15-10.

Last season’s Blues Regional Cup finalists Abercynon spun the ball wide to race into a 15-0 lead at halftime. Joel Whitcombe came on and scored the only try of the second half as the Tigers lost
15-5.

Mountain Ash had one player red carded but still won 20-0. Pride had to be restored against Abercwmboi and Talywain ran riot, scoring eight tries in the first half. There were four more before the
whistle went two minutes early. Tries were scored by Scott Williams (3), Ben Sullivan (2), Duan Thomas (2), Euan Lewis, Whitcombe, Tyler Lewis, Lewis Pipe and Ryan Parfitt.

The biggest cheers were for Pipe’s first try in three years and for Parfitt’s first ever try after the unselfishness of Whitcombe.